“I’m okay,” I say again. “Are you?”
He rubs his jaw with his good hand. “He got in a good one, but I’ll be fine. Why were you here, though? Why was he attacking you?”
I swallow. There’s so much concern on his face. I worry he’ll be mad when he hears the truth, but I’m too excited to keep it in. “I came here to confront him,” I say.
Stone blinks. “What?” he asks, stunned.
I turn up the bottom of my hat, where I’ve taped a mic. “I borrowed one of the microphones from the studio. It took a little trying, but I got Jeremiah to admit that he was behind the attack on you. The whole thing is recorded.”
Stone’s mouth falls open. For a second, we stand silently in the chilly evening, his expression widening as he processes what I said.
“But you could have gotten hurt. He could have really hurt you, Matty. And you shouldn’t put yourself in situations like that. I don’t want you to ever risk your safety.”
“For you,” I say quickly, cutting him off. I drag my hands down his chest, feeling him. “It’s worth it for you, and it’s worth it for me, too. I couldn’t let him take your career away.” I shake my head, trying to find a way to explain. “I had to prove to myself that I’m strong enough to be with you, Stone.”
His lips crash over mine, and he takes me in a long, deep kiss. “You’re so strong,” he says, his breath hot on my mouth. “You’re so strong, and you don’t even know it.”
I smile as I kiss him back. “You’re so good, and you don’t even know it.”
He shakes his head in disbelief. “Are you sure you’re okay? That’s a lot to go through, Matty.”
“I swear, I’m good. Just do one thing for me.” I lean forward and take him in another kiss, this time slow and tender. “Just take me home.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
STONE
It takesMatty ten minutes to make an audio file of Jeremiah’s confessions. I stop off at the bar, let Red and Billie know what’s up, and pass off a copy of the evidence.
Hell if I know what Caesar will have to say. Jeremiah is his nephew, so I don’t expect any big fallout. I know family comes first for most people, even if I do want him to take my side so bad that it hurts my gut.
As soon as we’re back at Matty’s apartment, though, all of that disappears from my mind. He grabs my hand and drags me straight to his bedroom, whimpering along the way.
“You’re a badass,” I tell him as he closes the door. “Do you know that?”
He smiles, a blush pinking his cheeks. “All I did was record him.”
“You faced your fears. You risked something you didn’t have to risk. I’ve had to fight people like Jeremiah my whole life, and I know it isn’t easy.” I take his face in my hand and press my lips to his. “But you fought back, Matty. You fought back for me.”
“And for me,” he says. His hand lands on his bicep, stroking his cat tattoo, which is still unfinished. “I had to prove it to myself.” He reaches up and pushes his hand through my hair. “I love you, Stone, and I’ll be there for you. I promise.”
“I love you, Matty.”
His breath is hot as our lips meet. My tongue finds his teeth, licking and tasting him. Slowly, we make our way to his bed, and I lower him to the tangled blankets, which he kicks aside. The lights are off, but a silver glow shines through the window.
My heart soars when I think about what he’s done for me. I don’t know how I’m so lucky, but finally I’ve found the person I’m meant to be with. He’s strong and sweet and beautiful, like something from a dream I didn’t know I had.
He’s perfect for me, and I’m ready to spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to make him happy.
I grab the bottom of Matty’s sweater and tug it off. He falls back on the bed, and I drag my lips across his clavicle and down to his chest. I kiss at his nipples, feeling each one grow hard against my tongue.
Matty twitches beneath me, arching his hips up. “Clothes,” he gasps. “Off.”
We undress slowly. His hands work my jeans open, and his palm presses to my hard cock, gripping it through my boxers. I move slow with my good hand, but the rhythm feels right.
There’s no need to rush this, not when every breath is worth savoring.
Naked and hard, he settles underneath me. Our legs press together from the thighs down, and Matty keeps pulling his fingers through my hair, stroking me. He looks gorgeous and gentle, and it strikes me all over again how strong he has to be to keep such a bright light in his eyes.
